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Neck Rounding Exercises
Chin to chest
Hold for 5 secs, repeat 3x
Use either a lick it or a treat.
Watch your fingers!
Chin to knees
Hold for 5 secs, repeat 3x
Use either a lick it or a treat.
Watch your fingers!
Activations Before Work
Observe, Be Curious, Ask Questions
Below are a list of activation exercises
I would recommend you do with your horse before work. Enjoy!
Poll Release
Apply a gentle finger pressure between the ears.
Perform once.
Watch your horse relax and release.
Wither Rocks
level 1
Place one hand on the sternum and one on the withers. Gently rock the spine from left to right.
Perform 5x each side
Repeat once
Wither Rocks
Level 2
Pick up a front leg to the same height that you would for picking their feet out.
Place one hand on the fetlock and the other on the withers.
Very gently rock the withers left and right.
Repeat for 5x side per leg
Shoulder Circles
Pick the leg up to the same angle that you would pick the feet out.
Slowly draw a circle with the horse's knee (the size of a small plate)
Repeat 3-5 circles per leg
Hind Leg Circles
Pick up a hind leg to the same height as you would pick their feet out. Place both hands on the hoof and draw a small plate sized circle with the hoof.
Repeat 3-5 circles per leg
Sacrum activation
Make sure your horse is comfortable with you standing behind them!
Gently apply a light pressure to the tail , "Pull and release". The movement is very subtle.
Repeat 3-5 per side
Pole Work Ideas
Perform in walk, trot or canter
Perform inhand and or ridden in walk only
Great exercise to improve suppleness. Perform in walk and trot on the longlines or under saddle
Perform either in walk or trot under saddle or on the long lines
Easy to do easy! Perform in walk only either under saddle, on the long lines or inhand
Perform in walk, trot or canter
Great exercise to improve flexibility. Perform in walk on the long lines and or under saddle
Perform in walk, trot and or canter. Add in transitions as you change direction.
Another way of moving through the diamond. Perform either on the long lines or under saddle in walk or trot
Exercise Ideas
Serpentines
A simple but great exercise which can be performed in all three gaits.
This is a great exercise to incorporate when doing inhand work or on long lines.
Focus on making the circles equal and flowing.
Does your horse bend equally both directions?
Spiral Circles
Spiralling in and out of circles is a great way of testing your horse's balance, self carriage and suppleness through the body.
Start in walk and notice if your horse and you are equal on both reins.
Clock Circles
Adding poles at 12 o' clock, 3 o' clock, 6 o' clock, and 9 o' clock on a 20 m will add variety to your circle work.
I recommend doing this exercise in walk under saddle or on the long lines.
Lateral Exercises
Walking laterals are great for developing and strengthening your horse's posture.
All of these exercises can be performed ridden or inhand on the longlines.
I would recommend starting in the walk and focusing on relaxation and suppleness.
